To Live In Fear
by Megan J.P
Summary: Noah's abusive behavior may prove tragic consequences for someone he loves.
1. Default Chapter

David walked into Donna's store just as she was closing up for lunch. She looked good in her tight jeans, and belly shirt. David could feel the water from his mouth beginning to drop. Donna turned around. She dropped her books and purse as she was startled by David. 

p

"Sorry Donna, I didn't mean to startle you." He told her apologetically as he knelt down beside her and helped her pick up her things. Her eyes caught his in a deep long stare. She felt as if David could see into her inner soul. She lowered her eyes to her purse as she quickly finished picking up the contents that had fallen out.

p

"That's Okay, I guess I was in a bit of hurry to get out of here, before Noah shows up. He and I were fighting all last night, and I just can't take this anymore. I need a break." She told him, as she tried to hide the bruise on her arm from him.

p

"Yeah, do you have time to sit down and talk for a bit?" He asked her as he noticed how uneasy she was. 

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Donna looked at her watch. "Alright, but just for a little while. I have to get back to the store in an hour."

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"Okay, You want me to drive?" David asked her as she tensed and looked around.

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"Yeah, that be great. I 'm so tired I'm afraid I would get into an accident." Donna told him hoping to break the ice.

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"Okay." He said as they moved toward his jeep. He slid into the drivers seat, and Donna got into the passengers seat.

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David started the jeep and drove off. Donna looked over at David nervously. She was so scared, but she didn't know how to confide in him. As David pulled away from the store. Noah watched angrily as his girlfriend left with her ex.

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David pulled in front of the Peach Pit. Donna and him ordered some burgers and fries to go, then they went next door to David's office. So that he and Donna could talk in private without any disruptions.

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After they finished eating David took a deep breath and he prepared himself as he was leaping into something face first.

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"Donna I been watching you the last few weeks, and I see you so unhappy with Noah. It just makes me wonder if he is the right guy for you. I mean does he make you happy?" He asked her truthfully.

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"Well I know he loves me, and I think that I love him, but with the way he's been acting about his family, I don't know if I can handle it much longer." Donna said trying to choke back tears.

p

"Yeah, but you didn't answer my question." He said looking deep into her eyes.

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"No, David, the truth is he makes me feel scared. The way he has been getting so angry and smashes things around frightens me. I don't think I can have another violent relationship again after what happened with Ray." Donna told David as the tears filled in her eyes. 

P

David leaned in and pulled Donna close to his chest. He had never seen her so afraid before. Donna pulled back in pain as her arm rested against David's chest. She cried out in pain. David pulled back at her tears and cries.

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"Donna what's wrong?" David asked her.

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"My arm. Awww. It hurt when I leaned against you." She told him as she clutched her hurt arm.

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David slowly pulled back the light coat covering her arm. He saw the large black and blue bruise in the shape of a large handprint. He was horrified at the sight. He understood why she was in pain. It looked terribly painful.

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"Donna did he do this to you?" He asked her with anger rising in his voice.

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"He was angry and frustrated, he just grabbed me too hard." Donna tried to justify Noah's action but she knew that she had cried last night for Noah to let go of her arm but he wouldn't no matter how much she had struggled.

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"Donna no one has the right to hurt you no matter how angry or frustrated they are." He told Donna as anger was boiling inside of him.

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"I know, but I tried to tell myself, that it was alright. But I should know better after what happened with Ray." She said as she leaned into David's chest with her other arm leaned against him.

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"Donna promise me you won't see him again. For your own safety please promise me that you will only talk to him over the phone, or around your friends. I don't want to see you get hurt Donna. I love you so much, that it pains me to see you in so much pain."

p

"I love you to David." She looked deeply into his deep blue eyes. David leaned in and slowly placed his lips on hers.

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Donna was startled by his actions but she didn't pull away, she savored the long passionate kiss. It felt so good to be in his strong arms, that made her feel so safe and loved. Something that they both needed to feel. 

p

David deepened the kiss. Donna could begin to feel her heart begin to race as the kiss was filled with so much passion. Donna pulled back. She knew that she needed to stop it or it was going to go to far. David looked at Donna. She was so beautiful to him.

p

He drove her home later that afternoon. He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek as she got out of the jeep. He made sure that she got upstairs and inside safely before driving off. Noah watched Donna go inside and David drive off. She was really going to get it later that night when she would be alone. She had hurt him with her actions. Now he was going to make her hurt deeply.

p

Donna sat on the deck watching the soft waves of beach rolling into shore. She loved the smell of the beach at night when everything was still and dark. Everything with Noah and his parents was beginning to be too much for her. She picked up her fashion magazine and began to read and drink her coffee.

p

Noah drove up to Donna's beach apartment. He was furious. He was having a major crisis, and Donna couldn't give him the time of day. But she could sit and talk with David all afternoon, when he needed her the most. He got out of his car and walked upstairs to the deck where Donna was.

p

Donna saw Noah come up. Fear ran through her body at the sight of him. She knew he was very angry with the look on his face. She knew she had to get away from him and fast. Donna grabbed the magazine and threw it at him.

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"Noah get out of here now, before I call the police." Donna threatened him. 

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"Donna come on you love me, why would you want to hurt me." Noah told her.

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"Noah, I don't love you anymore. Not after what you did to me last night. I want you off of my property and out of my life." Donna told him desperately.

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"Donna I'm not going anywhere. I love you." Noah told her determined.

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"Noah if you care about me, you'll leave right now. Please just leave before this gets ugly." Donna told him in fear.

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"Oh Donna you want things to get ugly. Alright you get your wish." He told Donna as he grabbed her arms hard, and wouldn't let her go. He slapped her across the face. Then he began to beat her with his fists.

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"Noah, stop it. Please Noah, stop your hurting me." Donna pleaded with him.

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Noah continued to beat her. He made her stand to her feet. Donna began to fight back and tried to get away from him. But his strength was to much for her. Donna screamed violently.

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David heard Donna's screams as he pulled up in front of her apartment. He ran up the stairs as he saw Noah holding Donna by the arms. She was beaten and bloody. The site made him angry. 

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"Noah let her go now." David demanded with him.

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"You come any closer and I'll push her over the rail." Noah told him as he pushed Donna toward the rail.

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"Don't Noah, I promise you if you throw her over I'll kill you." David told him, with rage burning inside of him.

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Noah saw the rage inside of David's eyes. He knew if he hurt Donna that he would hurt David deeply. Because he knew that David was in love with her very much. 

p

Noah lifted Donna and put her on the rail. Donna screamed out to David in fear. She was so scared for her life. Noah pushed Donna over. Donna tried to grab hold of the railing as she fell, but it slipped through her hands, and she fell down. She laid on the ground motionless.

p

David cried out in horror, he leapt down the stairs to be by her side. He pulled out his cell phone and called 911. He took off his shirt and put it over her body to give her warmth. He was so scared for her life. He looked out at the ocean, as the waves came in and out. And Donna lay in his arms clinging between life and death.

p

To be continued.


	2. Part Two

David held onto Donna's limp body as the Ambulance arrived a few minutes later. They immediately gave Donna oxygen and began CPR. David watched in horror as the woman he loved more than anything was close to death. p  
  
"We got a pulse. Let's get her on a stretcher and loaded into the van." A paramedic yelled out.  
  
p  
  
David watched as Donna was put onto a stretcher and her neck was put carefully into a large secure brace. She was strapped down so she wouldn't move and do more damage to herself. Then she was lifted into the back of the ambulance. David jumped in next to her. He wasn't going to let her go alone.  
  
p  
  
An hour later Donna was in the ICU. She had been rushed to the OR immediately for emergency surgery to remove her spleen which had ruptured in the fall. She had been hooked up to several machines. David was beside her bedside holding her hand and praying for her life to be spared. David had called only Kelly and Steve to quickly let them know what had happened. Then David heard the door open and he saw Kelly and Steve in the doorway.  
  
p  
  
Kelly immediately went to her stepbrother and embraced him. She could feel his hot tears streaming down her back. She pulled back and gently placed a tender kiss on his cheek. Steve also embraced David.   
  
p  
  
"I'm so sorry David." Steve told his friend.  
  
p  
  
"I should have protected her. I can still hear her terrified screams of desperation as he threw her like she was nothing over the rail. She cried out to me for help, and I just stood by and did nothing." David's tears were flowing.  
  
p  
  
"David this isn't your fault. It's Noah's. If anything you did everything you could to protect Donna." Kelly told David with a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  
  
p  
  
"Kel is right David, you did nothing wrong. You did everything that you could, but sometimes things are just out of our hands."  
  
p  
  
After David calmed down Steve and Kelly left to make phone calls to Donna's mom, and Donna's friends to let them know what had happened. They had gotten through to her parents who were in France on vacation, and had boarded the next plane to be by their daughter's bedside. Her friends had all sent their prayers.   
  
p  
  
David stayed with Donna all night holding her hand, and talking to her. The morning sun began to peek through the window of Donna's room. David rubbed his eyes after the long night. He was so exhausted, but he couldn't leave Donna's side. He wanted to let her know that he was there and that he cared. But more then that he had to know that she was going to be alright.   
  
p  
  
Donna's doctor came into the room carrying Donna's medical chart. He looked it over and checked Donna's vitals. David waited impatiently. The suspense was almost killing him as the doctor checked on Donna and didn't say anything.  
  
p  
  
"Dr. Johnson, how is Donna? Is she going to be alright?" David asked nervously.  
  
p  
  
Dr. Johnson shook his head. David could feel his knees begin to buckle from under him. It was if he was flying in midair, and he couldn't stop. He almost fell, but the doctor directed him to take a seat.   
  
p  
  
"David, I am not going to give you false hope. Donna is in a very serious condition. She has multiple broken ribs, a bad concussion. And her spleen was ruptured in the fall. But even more then all of that we don't know if Donna will have paralysis. Even if she does live she may spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair." Dr. Johnson told David.  
  
p  
  
"Please there has to be something...anything that you can do to help her?" David stood and asked in pleading desperation with Donna's doctor.   
  
p  
  
"It's still to early to tell. All you can do is hold her hand, talk to her, and pray for her. It's just to early to know anything." Dr. Johnson told David and left the room quietly.  
  
p  
  
David took his seat again next to Donna's bed. He held her hand and said a silent prayer to spare her life. He looked up and stared at her face. She was so beautiful to him. He loved to watch her sleep and hold her so close to him. But he felt like she was barely hanging onto life.  
  
p  
  
"Donna if you can hear me please give me a sign. I want you to wake up. I need you to wake up. Oh God Donna I love you so much. I wish you knew just how much I really do love you. You never deserved any of this that has happened to you. If anyone it's me. I have hurt you so much, and I regret it everyday. Oh Donna I can't live without you. Please wake up." David told her from his heart.  
  
p  
  
David laid his head down on her bed. His eyelids began to become heavy. And he almost felt like he couldn't stay awake anymore. The exhaustion from the past day's events had taken it's toll on him. He soon drifted off to sleep.   
  
p  
  
A while later David felt a hand on his hand. He slowly opened his eyes to find Donna holding his hand. Her eyes were open and she was staring at him groggily. David felt a huge smile of joy come on his face. He jumped up and kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, and finally his lips met hers. David felt his passion stirring within him. He felt like his heart could burst.  
  
p  
  
Donna parted the kiss, "David, where am I?"   
  
p  
  
"Your in the hospital. You remember your fall?" David asked softly.  
  
p  
  
"Yes, how could I forget something so terrifying as that was. I was scared for my life. I really could feel myself leaving my body." Donna told him as tears trickled down her face.  
  
p  
  
David wiped them away with a tissue. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed softly. It felt so good to touch her and to hear her voice again. It was still as beautiful as the first time he had heard her speak.  
  
p  
  
"Why don't you sit up for awhile?" David asked her.  
  
p  
  
"Alright." Donna replied and try to sit up but couldn't move her legs.  
  
p  
  
"Oh God David! I can't move my legs. I can't feel my legs!" Donna cried horrified at the thought of never being able to walk again.  
  
p  
  
David pushed the button for the nurse to come in. An older nurse with gray aged hair came running in at the request of the button that David had pushed frantically.  
  
p  
  
"Nurse, we need Dr. Johnson. Now!" David yelled fearfully.  
  
p  
  
The nurse ran out of the room to do as David had demanded. Donna began to take short breaths. Her blood pressure began to rise as a panic attack came upon her. David watched not being able to do anything but watch.  
  
p  
  
Dr. Johnson and three nurses came running into the room. Dr. Johnson took his stethoscope and listened to her heart. He barked a bunch of medical terms and orders to the nurses. The next thing David knew he was talking about her going into repertory failure. David watched in horror as Donna was put on a breathing machine.   
  
p  
  
"Dr. Johnson were losing her." One of the nurses told Donna's doctor.  
  
p  
  
"David your going to have to leave right now." Dr. Johnson told him seriously.   
  
p  
  
"Is she going to be alright?" David asked frantically.  
  
p  
  
"We are doing everything possible to save her, but we need you to leave and let us do our work." Dr. Johnson said as he lead David to the door and then closed it behind him.  
  
p  
  
David watched through the blinds when a nurse closed them. David's knees buckled and came out from under him. He fell to the ground. He began to cry uncontrollably. He couldn't lose Donna now. He loved her so much. He needed to be near her. To love her and protect her. But he had failed to do that. And now she was on her deathbed and he was living in fear as she was so close to death in this hour.  
  
p Frantic footsteps were heard as Dr. John Martin and Felice Martin came running down the hall with Steve, Janet, Kelly, Brandon, and Valerie not far behind. They all had very worried looks on their faces. Felice almost fell at the sight of David. They all were terrified that their worst fears had come true.  
  
p  
  
"David, how is she?" Steve finally asked.  
  
p  
  
"She went into repertory failure. The doctor and nurses are working on her right now to save her life. She had just woken up. Then she couldn't feel her legs and a panic attack hit her and then everything just went crazy." David spoke softly.  
  
p  
  
Valerie knelt down beside David. She embraced him into her arms. She loved this man with all of her being. But she knew that even though she had him in body, that his heart, and soul belonged to Donna. She had held it for so many years. She was David's soul mate, and even though they both tried to deny it they were meant to be together. Valerie knew she could never truly have him, but she knew that she could be his friend in his time of need when he needed his friends the most.  
  
p  
  
John held his wife up as she was about to faint at David's words. It was almost enough to kill both of Donna's parents who loved their daughter more than life itself. Felice held onto to her husband. She couldn't bare the thought of her daughter's life about to end alone. She needed her husband's strength.  
  
p  
  
"What happened? What happened that made my daughter's life hanging in the balance?" John Martin asked as anger boiled inside of him.  
  
p  
  
David stood up from his sitting position. "You want to know what happened. Noah Hunter is what happened. He threw your daughter off of the balcony of her own home, then he ran and left her there on the cold ground to die." David spoke in anger, frustration, and fear all combined into one.  
  
p  
  
Valerie put her hand on David's shoulder for support. He looked at her. She had painful tears in her eyes. He knew that she truly cared as did all the people that were around him waiting impatiently on word of Donna's condition.  
  
p  
  
John Martin put his hand on David's other shoulder. No words needed to be said. David understood by his expression and his actions. David put his hand on Dr. Martin's shoulder. Both of them understood one another's pain and fear. It was something that they were all united by, even though they were divided by so many other things.  
  
p  
  
Soon the door behind them opened and Donna's doctor walked out. He didn't look happy. He had a pain so deep in his eyes as he stared at all the people who loved and cared about this remarkable young woman so much.  
  
p  
  
"Donna had a panic attack which made her go into shock. Her heart stopped beating and she stopped breathing on more then one occasion. She is stable now, but she is still very critical. The next twenty four hours will tell... if she recovers or not. The spinal injury may just be a build up of fluids pressing against the spinal column, but it also may be permanent. Only time will tell if she will feel her legs, or if she will ever walk again." Dr. Johnson told them painfully.  
  
p  
  
David grabbed onto to Valerie so he wouldn't fall. He couldn't believe that this was happening after everything he and Donna had been through over the years. This time he knew she may not recover no matter how much he wanted her to.  
  
p  
  
Her parents held onto one another. Both needing each others strength to hold themselves together as their daughter's life hung in the balance.  
  
p  
  
Hours passed and still Donna remained the same. David watched in agony as he saw Donna's spirit for life leave her body piece by piece. He felt like Donna was giving up the fight. He couldn't let her die. He needed her to fight and not give up.   
  
p  
  
He held her hand in his. "Donna I know I have hurt you deeply in the past. But I am asking for another chance for us. I need you to fight for your parents, your friends, but most of all Donna I need you to fight for me. Because I am lost without you. Please, Don hold on and keep fighting. Don't let go. Whatever you do don't let go." David spoke to her from his heart as painful tears streamed down his cheeks.  
  
p  
  
Felice Martin stood in the doorway. She knew that she had doubted this young man so many times, but for the first time she really believed that David really loved her dearly. She went into her daughter's room and put her hand on David's shoulder. He turned to see her and he looked so sadly at her.  
  
p  
  
"David when Donna told me last year that you and her wanted to live together and that she had given her virginity to you I was angry and disappointed in her. But now I see that you really love her, and I know deep down she really loves you, and only you. David I believe that you and my daughter are meant to be together. And I would be proud to call you my son-in-law." Felice spoke to David from her heart.  
  
p  
  
David was touched by her words. And he knew that she was right. He did love Donna very much. He had tried to forget her over the years but after so many failed relationships he knew that she was the only that he wanted to be with.  
  
p  
  
Felice squeezed David's hand and then left the room to give him some time alone with Donna. He held Donna's hand in his. He missed being able to hold her close and talk with her, and just enjoy her company after a long hard day.  
  
p  
  
A few more hours passed by. Many of their friends had left but told David to call them the moment anything changed. Donna's parents were at her side off and on, but both eventually fell asleep in the waiting room after a long flight and hardly any rest.  
  
p  
  
"Donna I love you so much. I want you to get well, and maybe when your better we can give our relationship another chance. I know that we can make it work this time. I love you Donna, I wish you know just how much. And I want to marry you one day when your ready." David spoke softly to Donna as his tears fell and rolled onto her face.  
  
p  
  
All of a sudden he felt Donna's hand move. He looked at her eyes. He saw her eyelids begin to open very slowly. Soon the deep brown eyes that he loved so much were looking up at him. He was never so relieved to see her eyes open.  
  
p  
  
"David..." Donna tried to speak but she had a breathing tube in her throat and it hurt to talk and swallow.  
  
p  
  
"Don't try and talk Donna. Don't go away, I'll be back in one minute." David told her and ran out of her room and went and got her parents up. Then the three of them came running into her room. Her parents hugged her over and over again.  
  
p  
  
While her parents all talked to Donna and showed their joy and relief that she was awake, Donna slid her hand into David's. He gratefully accepted into his. He knew then that she had heard him.   
  
p   
  
A few days later, Donna had improved. She still couldn't feel her legs, but her breathing had stabilized, and she was able to sit up. David hadn't left her side since the moment of her fall. He didn't want to risk not being with her.  
  
p  
  
"David, thank you for staying with me all this time." Donna said as she squeezed his hand.  
  
p  
  
"I would do anything for you Donna, anything." He told her as he looked deep in to her eyes with love.  
  
p  
  
Donna felt his love for her so much. She loved him more than anything in the world and she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life no matter what happened, no matter what she told herself.  
  
p  
  
Another week passed and Donna continued to get stronger. Her doctor still didn't know if she would be paralyzed for the rest of her life. Even though everyone was still being hopeful, Donna knew the chances of her walking again, depended on her being able to feel her legs, and the longer that she couldn't the slimmer the chances were.  
  
p  
  
Then late that night, she felt her legs for the first time in days. She moved her toes. She leaned over and saw David asleep in the chair. She shook him a little. David awoke with a start. Fearing something might have happen to Donna. But there was Donna standing in front of him. It was a miracle. He thought for once he might be dreaming.  
  
p  
  
"David I can walk. I can really walk." Donna cried as she sat in his lap. It felt so good for her to have his arms around her.  
  
p  
  
"Donna I love you so much. I can't but help feeling that this is my fault. I feel like I should have protected you from him. Donna I love you, and I don't know what I would ever do if I lost you. That would be the end of my world. Donna I need to be with you. I want to be with you. You are the only one that I love and will always love no matter what happens." David said half crying.  
  
p  
  
"I love you too David and I would give anything for you as well. You have given me so much strength to face things. You are not responsible. When I was clinging between life and death I heard your voice and then I saw your face. And that is what kept me alive and clinging to life."  
  
Donna replied.  
  
p  
  
Donna kissed David with more love and passion than ever before. David kissed her back. Together they began a new journey. To love and guide one another through thick and thin. Donna and David vowed they would be together no matter what. And they did, loving each other for the rest of their lives. 


End file.
